Thursday, June 5, 2014

Education Ministry Spies on Teachers

According to the teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, high-ranking officials in the Education Ministry has called her since last week to “advise” her to remove the postings as they are deemed “anti-government”.

The teacher who has served for 16 years claimed that in the latest in a series of calls and text messages she has received, a special officer to the Education Ministry director-general had told her to close down her Facebook page and that she will be “watched”.

Why pick on teachers? And even if they must, kindly target those rogue teachers who don't go to class; teachers who do not teach properly; teachers who go overboard when punishing students. Likewise, focus on schools with inadequate teaching staff; schools that are without proper facilities; schools where education standards are found wanting.

Why should they spend time monitoring Facebook and spying on teachers?

Her other postings, which were deemed anti-government, include a 1980's news clipping quoting first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman calling for the abolition of UMNO.

She added that the ministry officials had also allegedly cautioned her against taking the matter to the media.

Hello, BN government! The teacher is entitled to her views. Leave her alone and stop being a bully.

On Monday, I was at KL’s Old Klang Road to attend the Money & You Toastmasters meeting. I was an evaluator for an Advanced speaker and she did it rather well. That particular meeting saw visiting Toastmasters from eight different clubs – wow! As for the meeting proper, it was alright. It started on time but like so many Toastmasters meetings, here and elsewhere, it dragged on so much that the meeting finished very late. I would score this meeting a 4.5 over 10.